Abstract:

The Human Performance collection consists of a variety of information produced by the Minnesota State University Human Performance Department and its predecessor departments. Included are documents concerning the men's and women's physical education programs, such as departmental correspondence and meeting minutes. The majority of this collection dates from the late 1970s and early 1980s. Items have been arranged by alphabetical order.

Historical Note:

The department's mission is to prepare physical activity and sport professionals in teaching, management, and sports medicine. The department also provides opportunities for all students to develop lifelong physical activity skills.
Human Performance is now part of the College of Allied Health and Nursing. In the past it was called the College of Health and Human Performance, as well as the College of Health, Physical Education and Nursing. In the past, the department of Human Performance was called Physical Education.
Originally created as two separate departments, in 1974 the men's and women's physical education departments were merged. Prior to that time, faculty from the Women's Physical Education Department managed women's sports programs.
Ruth Schellberg served as the chairperson of women's physical education for 22 years, until her retirement in 1974. Georgene Brock served as a coach and women's athletics director from 1964 to 1998. Schellberg, as chairperson of the women's physical education department, guided the women's program from intra-mural to full intercollegiate status.
For several years the men's physical education program was chaired by Russell Gorman.
Physical education began in the Health and Physical Education Building in the Valley Campus. Beginning in the early 1960s buildings were constructed on the Highland campus, and by 1979 consolidation to the upper campus was completed. Physical Education classes then took place in Otto Arena, Highland Center, and Myers Fieldhouse. Later another gymnasium was built and renamed Schellberg Gym. The Taylor Center, which is a multi-purpose building and was completed in 2001, houses Bresnan Arena.
Information for this finding aid was obtained from:
Chronicle of Athletics Control: A History of Administration of Intercollegiate Athletics at Mankato State University 1890s-1980s by Roy Benjamin Moore.
Mankato State University the Second Century: The First Twenty-Five Years 1968-1992 by Claire E. Faust.

Scope and Content:

The Human Performance collection has been divided into three series. Items in each section have been arranged by chronology and topic. The series are: Combined Men's and Women's Human Performance, Women's Physical Education, and Men's Physical Education.

Combined Men's and Women's Human Performance: This series contains correspondence, memos, and a variety of reports. Included is information about the merger of men's and women's physical education programs. Information about combined Men's and Women's Human Performance activities prior to the merger are included here.

Women's Physical Education: This comprises the bulk of the human performance collection. Many of the files came from Ruth Schellberg's professional collection as past chairperson of the Department of Women's Physical Education. Included are files, photographs and slides from the summer trips to Europe in 1963, 1972 and 1973.

Men's Physical Education: Included are three folders of correspondence and minutes.

Restrictions:

There are no restrictions on use of this collection for research purposes. The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property and libel laws as they apply.